Tips and Hints

Want to improve the street appeal and value of your home? Geostone can help you to achieve both objectives. Watch leading architect Peter Colquhoun from Better Homes & Garden as he takes customers like you from initial enquiry through to the completion of their customised Geostone driveway.

Start with exploring the Geostone brochure and viewing the full selection of Geostone products available in your area at one of our Display and Selection Centres. Find your local Display and Selection Centre by browsing our website or by calling our Customer Service Centre on 13 11 88. Please be aware that the Geostone range contains raw materials from nature and some variation may occur. Suppliers of Geostone products are Holcim (Australia) Pty Ltd and its wholly owned subsidiaries Broadway & Frame Premix Concrete Pty Ltd and Excel Concrete Pty Ltd. Geostone Product Suppliers cannot guarantee your project will be an exact match to sample panels, previous projects or existing concrete. Geostone Product Suppliers supply Geostone products on their respective standard terms and conditions.

Now that you’ve chosen your Geostone product, it’s time to find and select an installer for your project. When selecting an installer it’s a good idea to view some of their recently completed work and to ask for customer references. Make sure both you and your installer agree on the desired finish and any unique requirements for your project. Please be aware that whilst the process of exposing, polishing or honing Geostone concrete may appear simple, there are many factors at play and Geostone Product Suppliers cannot accept responsibility for the workmanship of installers.

To ensure availability of your chosen Geostone product, an order needs to be placed 7 days in advance of the required delivery date. Make sure you or your installer notify your Geostone Product Supplier if your project will be completed over a period of time.

It is recommended that Geostone concrete should be poured on fine days. Pouring on hot, windy or rainy days should be avoided in order to get the best result. Be sure to check the weather forecast and plan your pour with your installer accordingly. If your Geostone project will be completed over a period of several days, it is important to try and select a period when weather conditions will remain similar for the best chance of achieving a consistent result.

To ensure your project looks the way you want it to, take the time to properly prepare the area where your Geostone concrete will be placed. The subbase (the area beneath where your concrete will be placed) should be well compacted. Talk to your installer for more information about the necessary preparation steps for your Geostone project. Care should be taken to avoid any on-site contamination from materials such as windblown matter, wildlife and pedestrians.

Ensure your installer uses only commercially available retarders (a chemical used to prevent the top layer of the concrete from hardening) when exposing the stone in your Geostone project. Sugar should never be used as a retarder as it has been our experience that it will not achieve a consistent result. Your installer should include the cost of retarders in their quote.

Concrete is a porous material and can absorb contaminants if not properly treated. Protect the look of your Geostone concrete by sealing with an appropriate decorative concrete sealing product. Some sealing products can also help create a slip resistant surface. Check with your installer as to which sealing product will work best with your project. Holcim recommends re-sealing should be undertaken at regular intervals to keep it looking its best. Remember to follow all product safety instructions when sealing and maintaining your concrete.

As concrete sets, some cracking is likely to occur due to natural shrinkage when drying. So while cracking cannot be completely prevented, it can be controlled and minimised by taking measures at the time of placing and installing.

When installing Geostone, it is essential to use steel reinforcement to provide both additional strength and to assist in the control of natural movement. It is recommended that SL62 (or higher) reinforcing mesh is used in external areas and SL82 (or higher) for all polished flooring and suspended slabs. For internal polished floors, please ensure you consult with your structural engineer, architect or designer. Ensure your installer places the steel reinforcement in the upper part of the concrete where it is most effective.

Control joints should be placed in the concrete to encourage any cracking that may occur in predetermined locations allowing the customer to control, to an extent, where cracking happens. Control joints should be planned at the outset and placed in aesthetically appropriate areas. Concrete will also crack if it is restrained from moving by bonding with hard surfaces such as brick walls, existing concrete surfaces, columns and plumbing fittings. To reduce this restraint, it is essential to construct filled isolation joints around and along hard surfaces and we recommend the use of a commercial foam joint.

If possible, it is better to avoid pouring Geostone concrete on days of high temperature or high wind. However, if it is critical to pour on such days, it is essential to ensure that your installer takes the necessary steps to prevent rapid drying which can lead to cracking.

The curing process protects fresh concrete from rapid moisture loss and extreme temperature. For decorative concrete it is recommended that your installer use a membrane method of curing by applying a single coat of solvent-diluted acrylic sealer. Normal pond curing (where sand and clay are used to create ‘ponds’ which are filled with water) is not recommended as the sand can cause staining to the concrete and affect the appearance of your Geostone concrete. Before starting your project, ensure that you and your installer have discussed what steps will be taken to reduce the risk of your Geostone concrete cracking.

For further information please refer to our Best Practice Placement Guide by clicking here.

The process of exposing aggregate produces environmentally sensitive waste materials and care should be taken to dispose of all waste in a responsible manner. Contact your local council for more information.